Apple patent reveals Apple Watch that helps protect against sun damage

“Apple has been pushing the Apple Watch as a health accessory for some time now,” Dennis Sellers reports for Apple World Today. “That will apparently continue as the tech giant has been granted a patent (number 10,132,680) for ‘UV dosimetry and exposure alert’ that would allow the smartwatch to help you manage your exposure to the sun.”
“Overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation can be associated with a variety of health conditions such as sunburn, premature skin aging, skin damage, elastosis (i.e., the destruction of the elastic and collagen tissue) and skin cancer,” Sellers reports. “The effects from the health conditions can range from sun spots, freckles, discolored areas of the skin (mottled pigmentation), sallowness (a yellow discoloration of the skin), telangiectasias (the dilation of small blood vessels under the skin), and benign tumors, to skin cancers (e.g., squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, and melanoma).”
Sellers reports, “In addition, exposure to UV radiation can be a risk factor for the development of cataracts and growths of the conjunctiva of the eye (i.e., pterygiums).”
Read more, and see Apple’s patent application illustration, in the full article here.
“Apple notes that the technology could also be integrated into future iPads, MacBooks and other wearables like smartglasses or smart clothing,” Jack Purcher reports for Patently Apple. “Apple further notes that the UV dosimeter can include a UV sensor, which can be used to identify time periods when the user is located outdoors. In some examples, the UV spectrum of natural sunlight may be detected by the UV sensor, even when the UV sensor may be partially blocked (e.g., by clothing or in the presence of outdoor shade or cloudiness). The outdoor time periods and time-of-day information can be accumulated by a controller. Continuous, hourly and/or daily UV index information of the user’s location for each outdoor time period can be determined, and the controller can calculate a dosage value for each time period and the cumulative dosage total value. The controller may receive and send location information in order to receive location-dependent UV index information, and may also initiate or generate an alert or notification that informs the user of the calculated cumulative dosage total value.”
Read more, and see more of Apple’s patent application illustrations, in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Note: As anyone who, like us, have Apple Watch tan lines, can attest, this would be a great addition to Apple Watch’s collection of health sensors!